Baby bib

ABSTRACT

A baby bib comprises a body portion ( 2 ) of a plastics material above which is formed an opening ( 8 ) to receive the baby&#39;s neck, the rear surface of the body portion ( 2 ) being embossed to provide areas of relief ( 14 ) for engagement with the baby&#39;s skin. Preferably the bib is of a flexible plastics material which can be rolled up and retained in a compacted condition.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to baby bibs and more particularly to such bibsof plastic.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is not unusual for a bib worn by a baby on feeding to make directcontact with the chest of the baby.

If the bib is of plastic, there is a possibility of the skin of the babybeing irritated by the plastic of the bib, or in some instances forthere to be an allergic reaction to the plastic of the bib. Suchreactions are heightened by skin perspiration at the interface betweenthe reverse side of the bib and the body of the baby.

In warm weather conditions, and in regions of high humidity, this effectworsens.

It is currently believed that the high level of protein contained incertain flexible plastic or thermoplastic elastomer materials may be thecause of some of the allergic reactions, and efforts are being made tolimit or reduce the potential for such reactions experienced as a resultof skin contact with these materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a baby bibcomprising a body portion of a plastics material above which is formedan opening to receive the baby's neck, characterised in that the rearsurface of the body portion is embossed to provide areas of relief forengagement with the baby's skin.

It will be appreciated that such an arrangement reduces the area ofcontact of the bib with the baby's skin and allows air to flow betweenthe bib and the skin thereby reducing the likelihood of perspirationbeing generated.

The areas of relief may comprise a plurality of bosses symmetricallydisposed about the rear surface of the body portion.

Conveniently the bib comprises a moulded sheet of flexible plasticsmaterial in which the areas of relief are integrally formed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the baby bib is a thinmoulded sheet of a flexible plastics material including a body portionand a pair of straps extending from opposed sides of the body portion todefine an opening to receive the baby's neck, co-operating fasteningmeans being provided at or adjacent the ends of the straps to enableadjustable fastening of the bib around the baby's neck, supplementaryfastening means being formed in or on the body portion adjacent theopening whereby, on rolling up the body portion, the fastening means onthe straps cooperate with the supplementary fastening means on the bodyportion to retain the bib in its rolled up condition.

It will be appreciated that such a bib can readily be rolled up into acompact size and retained therein for travel or storage purposes.

Preferably the fastening means on the straps includes a popper on one ofthe straps adapted to be received in any one of a plurality ofcorresponding apertures in the other strap, the supplementary fasteningmeans comprising an aperture in the body portion adapted to receivetherein the popper with the body portion in its rolled up condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a baby bib according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through part of the body portion of the bibof FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 shows a bib according to the invention in a partially rolled upcondition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated bib is integrally mouldedfrom a single sheet of flexible plastics material such as athermoplastic elastomer (TPE), silicone rubber, flexible PVC or thelike.

The bib includes a body portion 2 and a pair of straps 4,6 defining asubstantially circular opening 8 to receive therein the baby's neck. Astud 10 (not shown in FIG. 1) projects from the front face of the strap4 adjacent one end thereof, and is adapted to be received in one of aseries of apertures 12 in the other strap 6 to retain the bib on thebaby in conventional manner.

The front surface of the body portion 2 is generally smooth for ease ofcleaning. However, the rear surface of the body portion 2 is providedwith a symmetrical array of bosses 14 upstanding therefrom, each bossbeing of circular configuration as seen in FIG. 1 and of shallow depthas seen in FIG. 2.

Such an arrangement reduces the area of contact of the rear surface ofthe bib with the baby's skin and also allows a flow of air to circulatebetween the bib and the baby's skin to reduce the likelihood ofperspiration being generated. This in turn reduces the potential for thebaby to suffer an allergic reaction.

The raised pattern on the rear surface of the bib may take any one of anumber of different forms which may or may not be symmetrically disposedon the body portion 2, while the bosses 14 may be other than circular.In all instances, however, air is allowed to flow next to the baby'sskin, and, should perspiration still occur in extreme circumstances, therelieved nature of the rear surface of the bib will not trap or retainperspiration next to the skin but allows it to drain.

The bib may incorporate an integrally formed spillage collection scoopat the lower regions of the body portion.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flexible bib of the same basic construction as thatof FIGS. 1 and 2 and showing the stud or popper 10 for fastening thestraps 4,6 together. Formed in the body portion 2 of the bib just belowthe lower regions of the opening 8 and substantially centrally of thebody portion 2 is an aperture 16 in which can be received the stud 10.

More particularly, and for the purposes of storage or transportation,the bib, with its straps 4,6 fastened together, can be rolled up fromthe bottom end of the body portion 2 and over the front surface thereofto the condition shown in FIG. 3. In this rolled up condition, the headof the stud 10 is brought in line with the aperture 16, and the stud canbe inserted through this aperture from the rear of the body portion 2through to the front thereof to retain the bib in its compacted state.

The fastening means between the straps 4,6 may be other than stud andapertures, as may the means by which the bib is retained in its rolledup condition.

Bibs according to the invention lend themselves to conventionalmanufacturing techniques by thermoplastic injection moulding, with thebosses 14 conveniently being relatively shallow in depth to avoiddifficulties in manufacture.

1. A baby bib comprising a body portion (2) of a plastics material abovewhich is formed an opening (8) to receive the baby's neck, characterisedin that the rear surface of the body portion (2) is embossed to provideareas of relief (14) for engagement with the baby's skin.
 2. A bib asclaimed in claim 1 in which the areas of relief comprise a plurality ofbosses (14) symmetrically disposed about the rear surface of the bodyportion (2).
 3. A bib as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the bibcomprises a moulded sheet of flexible plastics material in which theareas of relief (14) are integrally formed.
 4. A bib as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3 and comprising a thin moulded sheet of flexibleplastics material including a body portion (2) and a pair of straps(4,6) extending from opposed sides of the body portion (2) to define anopening (8) to receive the baby's neck, cooperating fastening means(10,12) being provided at or adjacent the ends of the straps (4,6) toenable adjustable fastening of the bib around the baby's neck,supplementary fastening means (16) being formed in or on the bodyportion (2) adjacent the opening (8) whereby, on rolling up the bodyportion (2), the fastening means (10) on the straps (4,6) co-operatewith the supplementary fastening means (16) on the body portion (2) toretain the bib in its rolled up condition.
 5. A bib as claimed in claim4 in which the fastening means on the straps (4,6) includes a popper(10) on one of the straps (4,6) adapted to be received in any one of aplurality of corresponding apertures (12) in the other strap (6,4), thesupplementary fastening means comprising an aperture (16) in the bodyportion (2) adapted to receive therein the popper (10) with the bodyportion (2) in its rolled up condition.